


In a bind

by temis



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Alpha/Alpha Relationship, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Awkwardness, Dubious Consent, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Rivals to Lovers, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:47:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28101141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temis/pseuds/temis
Summary: Lionel hissed after smelling the Heat scent on their locker room.Even with the adrenaline from their win, he was tired. Not even a hat-trick was enough to counter the exhaustion he felt.In this situation, the last thing he wanted to deal with was a teammate's heat. Afterwards, he would wish that was all he had to worry about.
Relationships: Lionel Messi/Cristiano Ronaldo
Comments: 85
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This grabbed hold of my brain and didn't allow me to go free. I probably won't post a lot of fics this month, because work is killing me.

When Neymar's scent changed, while they were celebrating winning, its sweet chocolate fragrance intensifying, Messi wanted to swear. Instead, it came out as a growled snarl, making more than a few of his teammates back away and give him space. This... Was not the first time an Omega went into heat even with suppressants, but it was happening too often lately. Last time was Bartra, and before that one of Real Madrid's omegas. He controlled himself, picking his belongings, the same as all the other players. The good thing is, here in the Bernabeu, like in Camp Nou, there was a room for Omegas when it happened. But they couldn't stay. The last thing anyone wanted were Alphas in rut fighting each other, Betas having to serve as a shield while an Omega was in heat.

Their only option was to move. Luckily the home team's locker room was close. It was going to be an awkward reunion, considering the madridistas just lost, but it was better than potentially fighting each other to claim their young teammate while he couldn't react or choose for himself. Puyol informed the security guards - one would ask Iker's permission, the other would alert the employees, so no one went near visitor's dependencies while they didn't have proper equipment.

Entering another pack's room after a match was nothing short of stressful, tempers would still be high, and there was simply the feeling of "I don't belong here", and "shouldn't be here". Puyol didn't even have to warn them about not shoving their win in their hosts' faces, the atmosphere was too tense. The locker was absolutely silent when they were given the "go ahead" signal, some of the Real Madrid players ready to go, their scents edged with bitterness and anger from the defeat.

Iker told them where to put their bags, organized with Puyol who could lend what they needed and where they could put it back. Leo wasn't paying attention anymore. After he got used to the bitterness, there was an underlying scent, so enticing, smelling like sea air and woodsy, too strong and not nearly sweet enough to be an omega, probably a beta. He could feel his canines elongating, his eyes flashing gold before he got himself in control. He wondered if it was an employee from the club that ended up leaving a trail, even without meaning to while cleaning or replacing equipment. It couldn't be any of the regular players, for good or bad, he had a good idea of everyone's personal scents after so many years playing against each other. He snapped away from his contemplation when Geri asked him if he was going to stand there until everyone went away, dragging him to the bank in the center of the room.

He blinked and swore under his breath. The scent wasn't just a trail like he had thought, oh no, it was in the entire room, the fragrance concentrated on the lockers and banks, as if the owner had made sure to mark them as his. Alpha. Similar behavior to how he ended up spreading his own scent, always changing where he sat, erasing someone else's marking, putting his own down. A good part of it was instinctive, but Lionel could admit he was a possessive man. Whatever was his, was _his,_ and no one else's.

Drowning in another alpha's territory and scent (no matter how pleasant) made him anxious, too many people, too many conflicting signals. He knew even before Iker' Spanish growled over sharp canines that he had lost control of his pheromones, too antsy, atmosphere too charged as if they were all waiting for something to happen. He waited politely for his turn to wash, counting to 100 in his head as a way to relax. After a short shower, he sat for a time, centering himself slowly. Alpha or not, the woodsy smell made his mouth water, which was strange enough. The scent of other alphas was unpleasant, too acidic or sour most of the time for two or more unaffiliated alphas to stay together for long. Which was why packs were such an instrumental part of football. The bond made it possible to work together more easily, instincts settling under the guidance of a recognized leader.

When Lionel finally felt more level-headed, he started getting ready to go, putting on shorts and shoes, observing how most of the locker room was empty, Puyol and Iker were still there, but outside, regulating the exit of the players. The sound of a shower being turned off drew his attention, frowning. He had taken way too long if he was the second to last to go.

Ronaldo came out of the shower, a towel on his waist, and he knew he was staring, but not because of the other's body. Ronaldo had always had a particularly repugnant smell, of ashes and old blood, sticking to his nose and more than once, he had had to resort to washing his nose and mouth to get rid of it after a prize event or party where the two of them had been seated near each other. Scents didn't change radically, at least not as far as he knew (there were the small changes, of course: diet change, pregnancy) - it was more than strange for Ronaldo to be the source of that smell.

His last conscious thought was that Ronaldo also seemed to be staring at him.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the story was recounted later, neither Iker nor Puyol could say why or how it happened. Most of their teams were already out of the locker, they were just waiting on Messi and Ronaldo and talking to pass the time. There was no growl, no snarl, no roar. Nothing to warn them. So they were completely surprised when their teammates' pheromones were released, with absolutely no control. Eyes wide, they watched as a naked Ronaldo and a semi clothed Messi were hugging, canines on each other's neck - marking and claiming if they were different dynamics, a temporary and fragile bond when done by two Alphas.

"Leo, what the hell are you doing??" Puyol recovered his voice first, trying to get the Argentine's attention. Hearing him, the two alphas let go of each other, but their eyes were completely golden, no comprehension in them, even worse when both started to growl and snap, ready to fight their captains. The amount of pheromones on the air and lack of language indicated Ruts, but Alphas fought each other, even when bonded together, they didn't do whatever was going on with Messi and Ronaldo.

It was worse still to realize that the Marks seemed to have taken - Ronaldo's ash and blood scent mixing with Leo's burned sugar and sour lime, which should have been impossible, because again, they were both Alphas, and a temporary bond wouldn't have changed either of their scents.

Puyol was frozen for a second, long enough for Iker to drag him away from the locker and the danger their teammates presented. Alphas on Ruts were aggressive enough. A mated Alpha on Rut was even worse. Iker really didn't want to know how an apparent mated pair of alphas would react to being interrupted. Captains or not, there were good chances they would be attacked, pack bonds not nearly strong enough to compete with a mating, impossible or not.

"Iker, we have to do something, we can't leave them alone there, they will kill each other when whatever happened is over!"

"I don't think either of us can risk going inside right now. And if my nose is right, they mated, though how and why are questions I believe we will have to wait for their Ruts to pass to know. And if they are mated, they will not hurt each other. The best we can do is probably alert security, see if they can be sedated and transferred somewhere separately." The blancos' captain seemed to have aged 10 years in 10 minutes.

"Fuck. Today is just one thing after the other. Neymar going into heat, Leo and Ronaldo doing... whatever that was. Which we don't know the reasons for or even how it can be possible."

Puyol looked at Iker, Iker looked at him. There were no answers, and nothing either could do, but it would be a dereliction of duty, and cowardliness to leave, not with both of their players incapacitated.

When they informed everyone they should, from the club experts on bonding to Lionel and Cristiano's families, it was already well into the night and if it truly was a mating bond, then their Rut would last at least three days... Which meant they had to transfer them somewhere else, because Madrid had to train and use the locker and they would be safer (and more comfortable) when they woke up outside of it.

It was still a somewhat surreal experience, seeing both of them being carried sedated out of the locker room, blankets thrown over both of them for the sake of modesty. Thankfully, there were enough private rooms on Bernabeu to give them one each, even with Neymar still in heat in another.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for explanations! I hope it's easier to understand what is going on now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me if any typos escaped my attention. I ended up getting inspiration when I had to change something last chapter...

Dolores arrived first, harried and worried, with José, her daughter's husband as support. Iker sighed, knowing it would only go downhill from there. And surely, while Dolores didn't outright show her displeasure, in complete control, there was still an undercurrent of tense expectation. She would not go away until she was assured of her youngest son's status and health and see for herself if he was truly mated to another Alpha.

Jorge Messi or Lionel's brother would take at least two to three hours to get to Madri, depending on the plane ticket they would be able to buy. While that happened, two bond specialists were called, to see if they could shed some light into what had happened. Both would arrive earlier than the Messi patriarch and hopefully, they would know more by the time they had to explain the situation again.

The team representative was the first to speak, to report about the players' current situation:

"We had at first isolated each of them in a prepared Heat/Rut room, however, as soon as they woke up, both Alphas started trying to force the door of their rooms. While that is regarded as common for a limited time, normally until the artificial opposite dynamic scent is released, they didn't stop, and so they had to be sedated again, for fear they would hurt themselves while trying to escape. After advice from our in-house bond-specialists and consultation with others, the decision was made to house them together. Because of privacy laws, we normally can't monitor the room closely, but because of the characteristics of our current emergency, we applied for and received a permit to plant a sound bug, so we can know if we need to separate them again. The bug will be used only to ascertain that they are mating - it will be turned off immediately after, and the personnel assigned to monitor the feed had to sign an NDA in this sense. These were the best measures we could think of, considering how unprecedented this is, but we will strive to preserve both of their dignity and reputations. We are in contact with the Barcelona club to try and smooth the rumours and decide what will be informed to the press in general, how and when. In case there are any doubts, I can try to answer them, after we have heard the opinions of Doctors Fernanda Castro and Guilherme Santiago" so saying, the man sat down, frowning.

Dr Castro was the first to introduce herself, stating her speciality as "rare bonds" in general stress bonds or peace matings, the reason why she had been called for by the club's bonding specialists. Dr Santiago was a counsellor, working almost exclusively with taboo relationships/bonds. Both asked for the incident to be recounted - Iker did his best, with help from Puyol in case he forgot something.

"That's impossible. Cristiano is not attracted to alphas, contrary to what every magazine and newspaper like to insinuate". Dolores' eyes flashed for a moment, after being informed of what had happened.

"I would say the same about Lionel, considering he certainly chased after his share of omegas and sometimes beta women, so I can't understand what happened in that locker room, as I know he wouldn't have behaved like that normally. Besides, he was always repulsed by Ronaldo' scent, no offence meant Mrs Aveiro, so I very much doubt it was attraction that made them do it." Puyol added.

"So... what you are saying is that two players mated without meaning to, both of them alphas? I receive pure alpha pairings every month, people who have tried their best to mate, and apparently, they somehow did it by accident?" Dr Santiago was sceptical, but his colleague quickly gave her own opinion.

"I believe it. There is actual documentation of pure alphas matings, and before you ask, no, it's not in myths or fairy tales" she replied when saw her colleague getting ready to retort. "The thing is, it is very rare, and not a result of simply two people wanting and wishing to be together like it normally is for different dynamics, from what I have researched. Of the three bonds that we have real, certified documentation of, we could infer some characteristics in common: they were made between members of two stable packs in conflict, the two alphas had a similar status to each other and were valued members in their hierarchy. Does that sound familiar to you?" Dr Castro turned to Puyol and Iker.

"It is obvious that having Barcelona and Real Madrid competing as frequently as we do would have some side effects - though normally that is hyper aggression and a certain difficulty in getting members of the two teams to play together internationally, not alpha-alpha matings! And we have been playing against each other for literal decades, how is it that we didn't have anything like that happening before today? If those were the only requirements, most derbies and rivalries in the world of sports would end up with alpha-alpha matings." Iker growled, frustrated. 

"I believe those are some of the requirements, not all. Were there strange happenings? Disturbances in the pack bond or pack in general?" Dr Castro asked both captains.

"I don't think so, or at least nothing too out of place. The team is still stable, there is no obvious dissent or unhappiness. The only thing somewhat puzzling is that Lopez went into heat three months before what he should, and the same batch of suppressants had no effect on the other Omegas." Iker answered.

"That... is similar to what is occurring with us. Neymar also ended up in Heat today, after the game, and he wasn't scheduled for one until July, during the holidays, those were his plans.." Puyol added.

"How many of your unbonded omegas had Heats between this year and the last?" Dr Santiago asked them too.

"We only have Neymar and Bartra unbounded, but both of them." 

"And from our side, all of them too. Carvajal was the last from our side to go into heat, that was last month. It also wasn’t planned." 

"So, it's almost certain this is one of the requirements? How would that make sense? I mean, that's affecting all unbounded Omegas, but how would that relate somehow to the situation at hand?" Dolores asked the specialists.

"Normally, in the conditions described here, which means, two packs fighting or competing against each other for an extended period, what you would have is a peace mating - an Omega would fall into a Heat and either mate with a comrade from his pack or one of the opposing alphas. Such matings almost all the time ended up with a pregnancy and the peace between packs, as leaders wouldn't want to risk one of their own or a pup, most of the time the packs would reach an agreement. In the few cases that didn't happen, it was common for the pack leaders to be challenged and exiled - pack members are, after all, extremely reluctant of hurting each other and consequently, of hurting the mates or pups of other members - that's why they are called peace matings. In this modern era, however, we can make sure Omegas don't need to spend their Heats with someone, all the technological advancements that have happened, plus the Omega's rights mean omegas can and do choose their mates and whether they want pups or not. The better question is: why two alphas and not two betas, or one beta and an alpha, for example? There are unbounded betas in both teams, from what I remember from the files, so why two alphas? Considering that this type of pairing is not naturally able to mate? That I don't know. And I don't think I can theorize more about this without more evidence." Dr Castro explained, jangling bracelets tinkling as she gesticulated to emphasize her words. 

"Well... There has to be some advantage in such a pairing for it to happen, evolutionarily at least. As you said, most bonds and matings occur naturally, only alpha-alpha don't, though there are (and probably will always be) alphas that are inclined to their own dynamic instead of betas and omegas, and contrary to what most people think, it's not something exceedingly rare, it's just not talked about because of the stigma. But I believe we can hypothesize more about the reasons for the bond later, when we have more information, and perhaps, after a behavioural profile. Both to certify it is a mating, instead of just a bonding, and so for us to try and understand how it came about, and the consequences it may have on Mr Aveiro and Mr Messi." Dr Santiago added, fingers of his left hand in his hair, even as he wrote down in a notepad as he talked.

"So you truly believe this is a mating?" Dolores asked from her seat, hands resting on top of the table, one clenched on the top of the other, as she watched carefully both specialists.

"All the observational evidence indicates a mating - I have never heard of a bonding between alphas to result in the mixing of scents, for example - however, I will not declare or affirm something like that without a deeper understanding of what we are dealing with. Like my colleague said, it would be important to do a behaviour profile and observe how it would align or deviate from other matings, and in what way. I can not give you false hope that it will be breakable - contrary to what most people think, normal bondings are incredibly hard to undo, even when it is necessary for the participants' health. This one, even if it's not a true mating, would be much harder, as it seems to be a response to the direct and open conflict between both packs - and said conflict will not be resolved, which is a factor in its existence and maintenance, deepening it." Dr Castro answered, her gaze travelling through the club representative, the captains and Dolores.

"Let's assume it is a mating - the worst-case scenario. What would be the consequences?" José asked from his place beside Dolores, clearing his throat. 

"No possibility of breaking it, and if this works the same as a common peace mating, they would need to stay together, as in, in close proximity for at least two weeks, so their bond can settle...." Dr Santiago started listing the consequences.

"The common time off because of a mating is one week. Why two?" The club representative interjected before Dr Santiago could keep going.

"One week is for normal matings, not a peace mating. Contrary to the romantic bias in popular culture, peace matings are not fluffy or easy things. They are a type of stress bonding, as they would not happen if there was not some external factor affecting both parts. Because they are inherently created between members of opposing packs, it would naturally be much easier for one of the newly made mates to assassinate the other, which would null the entire mating. So the parts of a peace mating are saddled with a few extra instincts: the need to protect each other is probably the most important, as it makes breaking the mating impossible. Both parts are more aggressive and possessive than normal - betas and alphas are prone to snapping and growling, while omegas will hiss to signal their displeasure, but all will physically attack another member of their pack if they consider it is needed to protect their mate. Besides that, they show a heightened need to be able to check on each other's status and a sense of their mate's emotions, even when they are controlling their scents." Dr Santiago noted.

"Yes. Those are common and expected 'behaviours' for lack of a better word. Keep in mind their personalities will not be altered, nor will their preferences, but their reflexes and reactions will all be in the sense of protecting and guarding their bond. Adding any stress to it may lengthen the time needed for them to be in a more even keel, and consequences can be as varied as separation anxiety, unhealthy codependency, paranoia and other psychological symptoms, which can all be avoided if they are given time to get used to it." Dr Castro added.

"And after this adjustment period? What can be expected?" Iker asked them, looking as if he had aged 20 years in 2 hours.

"Then, if it follows the same patterns as more common peace matings, the protectiveness will never truly fade, but they won't be growling at everyone either. Peace matings are normally very stable - a side effect of knowing how the other is feeling, and some believe, an enhancement of their empathy when dealing with their mate."

"Can they live apart, considering Leo is based in Barcelona and Ronaldo in Madrid?" This time, it was Puyol who questioned them, hands massaging his head as if to dissipate a headache.

"Not for those first two weeks. After that... Maybe? It depends on how well they are adapting to all the changes. Preferentially, it would be best for them to spend as much time near each other as they can in the first months."

"Dr Santiago, you were introduced as an expert in 'taboo' bonds. I am guessing this would involve alpha-alpha pairings. Could you explain a little about how those relationships work, without a mating? Maybe that can give us an idea of how they would behave." Iker said

"Certainly. Most of my clients have found solutions that suit their needs in some way or another, and contrary to what the newspapers say, they are generally non-invasive and not permanent. There are a lot of Alpha-alpha pairings that don't last, of course, especially if they are young people figuring out how relationships work, but that's usual across all dynamics and genders I believe, but the longest pure alpha couple I know celebrated 45 years together last month, and are still happily in love. And contrary to what most people seem to think, the pure alpha pairings that tend to last longer, from my personal and professional findings, are those in which both members are accorded the same respect and treatment. Inequality is the first sign of a failing relationship in pure alphas pairs, mostly because even the calmest of alphas will fight when they think they are being blatantly disrespected. Other than that, each relationship is different." he answered.

"What about pups? I mean, how would one part of the pair react to another's child?" Dolores questioned, her voice still neutral. Iker remembered Cristiano had his son to worry about too - this would be more complicated than they had first thought... Especially if Messi posed any danger to Júnior. Iker cringed, remembering how protective the Portuguese was over his pup. That could be problematic.

"Depends on the alpha. Some don't like the reminder their partners had other lovers before them, some claim the children right after meeting them. That has a lot more to do with personality than instincts, contrary to what most people think. The stereotype of alphas being susceptible to hurting pups that are not of their blood is not true, being something that happens only when an alpha is also an asshole. Even alphas who dislike children in general can and do control themselves. Exceptions to this are normally alphas who have some problematic behaviour. All protective-drive and possessive-drive alphas that have a modicum of control over themselves can grow a bond like any step-parent figure, so long as they want to, and work for it. As far as my experience tells me, the true trouble of pure alpha pairings with pups is that they are really protective of their children and don't allow others outside their packs to handle them unless it is for the pup own good, but getting close to the pup of a pure alpha pairing without being invited to is similar to courting a mated omega, it is going to end up in a fight in the best-case scenario, and a hospital visit at least." Dr Santiago explained.

"Leo loves pups, both his family's or honestly any other child. He has babysat for most of the team, especially when he was younger, so I would wager on it being a non-issue in his case." Puyol remarked.

"While I am calmer having heard that, it would probably be a good idea to make plans for if he doesn't accept Júnior, more out of preparedness than anything else. What happens in pure alpha pairings in cases like this?" Dolores asked.

"Normally the alpha parent will break the relationship and walk away. Even in the few situations it wasn't an automatic end to the relationship, most alphas don't tolerate their pups being hurt or even ignored well, so unless the more possessive-partner bonded with the child, invariably it was one of the reasons the relationship ended." came the answer.

They looked at Dr Castro, wondering if she had more insight into this.

"Sorry. As far as all I have read and researched, I can't give you an answer to that question. In the past, the majority of alphas with pups are generally mated to the pup's dam. It is only in the recent past that this began to change, so there are no records of a situation like this, even in the fragments of alpha-alpha matings that we do have." she replied.

"So we're back on square one. And with the unsettling realization that a mating would oblige them to stay together even if they would normally separate... I hope Messi can bond with Júnior, otherwise, this is going to be even more of a clusterfuck than it already is." José said.

There was a lull in the room, a defeated silence in the air. Practically they couldn't do much more than they had already done, all that was left was waiting for the two alphas to wake up, verify if they wouldn’t fight and then wait again for them to come out of their Ruts... And explain what they had already discussed with the Messi family.

"Is there anything else we should be informed about before the arrival of Leo’s family? I think we touched upon the main points, and I believe it would be best if I was part of their reception, so I can update them before they arrive at Bernabeu. I doubt they would want to be caught completely by surprise, and if they have questions we haven't thought of, they can ask both the specialists here. I understand you will be staying with us, at least for the next seven days, correct?" Puyol asked them while standing up.

"I believe that is the time we were contracted for, yes." Dr Santiago confirmed, looking at his notes.

"At the moment, I don’t think there is anything else. I brought my laptop, so I will search the documents and my notes again, just to make sure to have truly said all I could about the topic." Dr Castro said, taking her laptop out of her bag and typing on it.

"I believe it would be better for me to go back. While Júnior is with Kátia, he will feel restless soon, considering he has never been away from his father for longer than a day. José will stay. If something changes, call us. I will bring Júnior with me when Cristiano is out of his Rut." And saying that Dolores walked silently away.

"Well... That went better than I thought, considering her instincts went haywire before we left Cris' house." José said.

"How bad could it have been? She's a beta, right?" Puyol wondered.

José sighed, before looking at Puyol.

"Let's put it this way: Cristiano and Kátia got a good chunk of their "alpha" personalities from their mother. So it could have gone much, much worse."

"Well, if she has a tenth of Cristiano's protective instincts, I'm surprised this meeting went as cordially as it did" That had been Iker.

"You and me both," José said. "And hopefully, things keep being easier than we hoped for."

"I think it's time for me to go to the airport. I don't doubt Messi's family will be here soon and will want to know what happened today". Puyol said, moving for the exit. "If something happens, or there is a change in their condition, please call me."


	3. Chapter 3

It was awkward, waiting at Madrid's airport for the Messi representatives. He had to escape to a VIP room, so his presence didn't make too much trouble for security and his own safety. Leo's father and brother would be led there, as soon as they disembarked. Not for the first time, Puyol wished he wasn't captain. He couldn't let Jorge or Rodrigo Messi walk into Bernabeu without alerting them to what had happened, but he had no idea how either of them would react to the idea of their son and brother possibly being mated to another alpha, not even willingly, but as a result of an accident that no one could have predicted or anticipated, and yet, one that would change his life forever.

Jorge Messi was similar to his son, in personality and appearance: same watchful eyes, the hooked nose (though the elder's was slightly larger), bigger than normal ears (not as much as Leo's). Rodrigo Messi had a fuller face, and his normally impeccable hair was sticking up in every direction - he had either tried to rest during the trip, or, more likely, spent the entire time running his fingers through his hair, wondering and imagining all the different scenarios that would need their presence in Madrid, and Leo's delayed return. Puyol could only guess at what either of them were thinking, being called like this after a game, both of their faces withdrawn and shadowed, Rodrigo' scent of basil and oregano more intense than it would normally be polite when outside of a pack's own territory, but he couldn't blame him. He took a deep breath and directed his attention to the elder Messi.

"Mister Messi, I am sorry for having to call you like this. Before we start, let me assure you Lionel is fine, this is not a health issue, or wouldn't normally be considered one" He couldn't help adding the last part. As he expected, his declaration was met with guarded relief and incredulity.

"And yet, whatever happened is serious enough to call both of us to Madrid, somehow Leo himself can't speak about it and we have to come here instead of being informed in Barcelona? You will have to forgive my incredulity in this case. Nothing about this seems normal." Rodrigo's voice came out hissed, protective instincts being all over the place. Jorge Messi only glanced at his son, enough for Rodrigo to take a deep breath, his herbal scent fading, under the non-verbal order from his father.

"While my son was impertinent, he is also right. Puyol, it is best if you speak clearly." Jorge Messi did not wait for an invitation, sitting down in the chair opposite his own.

Puyol took a breath, knowing whatever rudeness in the Messi''s actions was more than understandable because of the secrecy regarding one of their family.

"I must ask you for time and patience because you will have questions. The short and blunt version is that Lionel is possibly mated to Ronaldo from Real Madrid." Puyol rattled off, wanting to get the essential information out, as it would be the basis for everything else.

"I didn't think Ronaldo was an omega, but why would he hide something like this? Or how for that matter? It's not like omegas are still prohibited from playing. Why did he lie?" Jorge Messi remarked, much calmer than before, but drawing the wrong conclusion from his sentence - he should have been clearer.

"He isn't. An omega, that is. Ronaldo is an alpha, just like Lionel." Puyol answered, preferring to be as clear as possible this time.

"That's impossible, alphas literally can't mate with other alphas, even when they want to, that's common knowledge. We didn't come all the way from Barcelona just to hear jokes." Rodrigo's temper was showing itself again.

"I wish I was joking, as I am sure Iker and Ronaldo's family would also prefer. all of our lives would be much easier if it was just a prank. Let me tell you what happened and what we have learned while we were waiting for you." He was annoyed at the younger Messi's lack of patience, but couldn't fault him too much in these circumstances. So he did his best to recount everything, the locker room behaviour and the explanation from the bond specialists Madrid had hired and sought out because of the incident.

"So what you are saying is that my son is currently, as far as the bond medics know, probably mated to another alpha because of a peace mating gone astray; they are being monitored in a Rut room to either disprove this theory and separate them or they may spend the next three days in a shared Rut, and we will have to wait for it, as they will most likely react badly if they are interrupted, and no one knows what will happen when they get out of that room." Jorge Messi's voice was chilling, tone low and measured, incredulity in his features, even if not in the words themselves.

"Yes. We don't have enough information to evaluate much, besides the fact that, according to the evidence we have, it is a mating bond. If they don't fight when they wake up from the sedatives, it will be considered as such, according to the bond professionals hired. There was also some worry over how Lionel will act around Ronaldo' young son from the part of his family, but the truth is, we don't know what will happen because it is that rare." Puyol reiterated.

"And you're sure this wasn't, I don't know, a normal bonding, something that would fade, like most of the bonds between Alphas do? Maybe an aftereffect of being in close quarters after an adrenaline-filled Clássico?" Rodrigo's voice broke in the middle of his question, and he had to clear his throat before continuing.

"Bonded alphas still fight when they enter a Rut. The only occasion Alphas do not fight each other is when they are siblings, but even so, there's more than a little posturing when that happens, and they prefer to spend Ruts far from each other. Again, we are waiting for how they will react to try and classify it. But... Bonded alphas don't have mixed scents, and their marks don't take on other Alphas... Plus, nothing else makes sense, as Iker and Ronaldo's family confirmed that he is not attracted to alphas, and I know Lionel isn't. So that left us with the peace mating theory. We are not ruling anything out until we have the specialists inspect them, but it's also important for you to understand what information we currently have". Puyol explained to the best of his ability, voice even as he did his best to go over what was known at the time.

"I believe this is the first time since I became a parent that I **_want_ ** one of my sons to get into a fight. Better that than the alternative. Is there an estimation of when the sedation will wear off? How long do we have to wait before we are aware of their status?" the elder Messi adjusted his tie, focusing on it even as he asked his questions.

"Around two to three hours from now, because they were tranquillized twice. We will be notified when it happens, and either way, the sound bug will be disabled. One of the reasons I gave you a summary of our knowledge is because right after, plans will be needed to deal with the situation, and in particular, with the press."

"This is a mess. What are we going to say when someone asks why Leo isn't back in Barcelona, or why they won't play the next games? If they aren't mated - God willing - there will still be the scarring of a bond, even if not a mark, and a recovery time before they can train again, and the journalists will ask about it, and probably question why both of the biggest football players had 'health' problems at the same time, and right after a "Clássico". Jesus..." Rodrigo put his head between his arms, sighing.

"And if they are mated... What will we say? Could we even hide it from the press? The mating marks will be obvious and hard to conceal from view based on what you told us about their location, and anyone who gets close enough to them will notice the change in scent. However, if we release this information..." Jorge pulled on his beard before continuing. "We will be courting speculation about their previous relationship, and questions on whether one of them is a different dynamic, as that would be more believable than the truth. It also won't help either of their images - when it comes out that both of them truly are alphas, the kindest word that will be used for them will be knotlicker." Jorge's composure had broken, shoulders sloping even as he rested his head and closed eyes in his seat.

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't. And in the end, we will not be the ones worst affected. We need Leo's opinion, and even Ronaldo's. We can't decide anything without them, considering. Is Ronaldo's agent here? Has he been informed?" Rodrigo asked.

"He was in Portugal, so he is coming from Lisbon, and he was told as soon as Ronaldo's family knew what was happening," Puyol said, gaze averted from both Messi. 

"Good. For better or worse, we will need to work with him to mitigate this... disaster. And hope it is a mislabeling by the specialists or a short bout of insanity. Let us not stay here longer. I would rather speak with the doctors Madrid has called on. I believe it would be good to have a contracted medic from Barcelona here as well, to check and verify what is known, and perhaps add to the information we have." Jorge said, getting up and walking to the door.

"The club is already looking. I am acting for the moment as Barcelona's representative, while a new one isn't chosen by the board. By tomorrow morning at the latest, both the representative and the specialist should be here." Puyol answered while falling into step with Jorge, leaving Rodrigo as the last of their procession.

"Then, I believe it would be best for us to go to Bernabeu. I would rather wait there and know as soon as possible what we are dealing with than spend a few hours pacing in a hotel room, waiting for a message with the answer." Jorge's eyes flashed gold for a second and the hint of a growl in his voice belying his apparent composure recovery.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The news was almost expected, but it still was a disappointment when the Real Madrid representant announced Lionel and Ronaldo would spend their Rut together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Cris and Leo, Leo and Cris, finally.  
> I had to rewrite this chapter because my first version was too fluffy and didn't really get the right equilibrium between what they thought about the mating and what their instincts made them do.  
> This was the last chapter were I already had a lot of it written, so it's going to take longer from now on as I start working again tomorrow and I have a veritable list of other fics I need to write or update.

Lionel woke up slowly. He felt like there was a brass band playing in his head, his thoughts were slithering out of his grasp. He stopped for a moment, just taking stock of himself. Besides the pain in his head, his body was sticky with something (probably champagne or alcohol from their win - though rarely accepted his teammates wishes to go out and party with them) and his neck was throbbing, pain pulsing from it and that made his eyes fly open. Had he unwittingly mated with someone while drunk? God, please no. His eyes were open, but he was maintaining them firmly on the ceiling. The musk of sex and semen was all over the room, making it obvious that yes, he had probably properly mated someone yesterday. He wanted to groan and disappear or snap at whoever it was. He had not planned to mate now, and didn't want to do so with an unknown omega or beta who had stumbled upon him drunk and taken advantage of his inebriated state.

There was a ball of resentment choking him for a moment. The pain in his head flared, burning brighter, as if he had turned on the lights - maybe a side effect of the mating. He hated being trapped without recourse, but a mating couldn't be broken. So it would be best to just look and know who was his new mate. With some luck, they would be beautiful enough it wouldn't be so obvious he was being used as a step ladder for someone else's fame.

Looking at his side, Messi had to rub his eyes, not believing what he was seeing. There was no omega on the bed, instead, he had a very much naked Cristiano Ronaldo at his side. Which should be impossible, Ronaldo's scent was odious, and the perfume left in the room had no taint of blood, or ash taste, only sea salt with a hint of wood. Lionel looked again at the Madridista, his gaze travelling to the other's body. He had seen the man without a shirt before, both inside the pitch and in one of his ads for underwear, but he had never noticed him - never seen how attractive he was...

What the fuck?

It was as if a place inside his head had switched on - and that part loved Ronaldo, loved seeing him marked with their semen, the bruises on his skin, the proof of their mating on his neck. That part of him wanted to wake up the other player and have sex again, ensure no one would ever miss his scent on him, to show off their mating. Also wanted to be marked, to roll around in their mixed scent, to have Ronaldo's bruises on his skin, expose them too, so that it was impossible to be considered single, the signs of their mating too obvious and strong.

Ronaldo was an omega? Or beta? That didn't make sense. Scent suppressors could hide scents normally, but it was a known fact that it was hard, if not impossible to effectively use them in sports. The release of pheromones from sweat, adrenaline and emotion for long periods countered the repression of their smell. That's why teams relied on strong bonds, and a captain capable of directing and commanding every player, so that there wouldn't be incidents, either inside or outside the locker rooms and pitcher. Besides, omega scents were uniquely sweet and somewhat mild. There was nothing mild about what he smelled, only refreshing. So, Ronaldo couldn't be an omega, otherwise, everyone would know when he started playing. Beta? Some beta did have behaviours and scents closer to alphas, but it didn't make sense for Ronaldo to lie about that. There wasn't that great a difference between the treatment of betas and alphas, and sooner or later it would have been revealed.

Shaking his head, Lionel tried to remember what had happened last night - it would be the only way to understand unless he asked his... mate? Rival? Whatever the Portuguese now was. He took a deep breath - a mistake, as the sea salt and woodsy aroma hit him full force, and all he could do was moan. He put his hands on his mouth, hoping that it hadn't been enough to wake up Ronaldo. He didn't have to worry, the Madridista kept sleeping as if nothing was wrong. Fortunately, besides getting a face full of probably the most enticing scent he had ever smelled, that had helped him remember. The locker room, Neymar going into heat, Barcelona going to Madrid's locker room, to give security and medical space and opportunity to take care of Neymar, without having to break up fights... And how he had smelled Ronaldo, but not his normal smell.

His head hurt when he tried to put it together, stray shards of memories. At least now he knew Ronaldo was an alpha too, remembering how they had slid against each other, both of their cocks and knots rubbing together, fangs flashing and eyes golden, trapped in each other's gaze. Fuck.. How the fuck did they mate? As far as he knew it was impossible... But here they were. He didn't know what to do with himself, and he didn't want to think about all the problems such a mating would bring them. God. It suddenly hit him: He was mated. This was it. He wouldn't be able to court and choose an omega or beta that he liked, would never be able to have a marriage, celebrating their union in front of their families and friends, recognising their love. He was stuck - they were stuck with each other. 

He doesn't know if he made a sound, but Ronaldo started to move at his side. Great. That was all he didn't want. Having to face his newly mated rival.

To his surprise, when Ronaldo woke up, instead of panicking, screaming or any other expected reaction to finding himself mated, the other man blinked, took a look at him and brought him to his chest, purring low for his comfort, letting him feel the vibrations of the sound through his chest, running his hand through his hair. He didn't know why, but it helped. His headache eased a little, and the contact skin to skin made him feel better, even if it didn't change anything. Probably a bond reaction measure, but the tight feeling in his chest loosened, making it easier to breathe. Comfortable.

He sat back on his side of the bed again. He didn't want to talk to Ronaldo while laying on the other man, and they would need as much of their composure as they could get, especially when they were both still sticky from sex and the sheets and bed wrecked from their Rut.

"I'm guessing we didn't have a threesome and the omega is hiding in the shower as a prank..." Ronaldo said, tone asking for a rebuttal, for a sign it wasn't as he thought, even as he put a hand on the wound the mating bite had left, inspecting it.

Lionel had to scoff at that "Believe me, I wish something like that had happened. What is your last memory?"

He watched as Ronaldo frowned, trying to remember.

"You culés had to come to our locker after the game, because one of your omegas went into heat. I was already in the shower, but didn't want to come out, trying to wash away our defeat." The last was said bitterly, and Lionel could feel the intensity of the Portuguese's emotions, staining their connection with a biting acrid feeling he could taste in his mouth. It resonated too well with what he himself felt after a loss.

Ronaldo took a breath, closing his eyes, as if he could remember better without sight "And then... I saw you. Or perhaps more accurately I smelled you, but instead of your normal burning-sour scent, it was... completely different. Like the smell of earth after a light rain, fresh and energizing." Ronaldo winced after that, cheeks flushing red enough that it was noticeable even on his skin. He didn't need to be a mind reader to guess what he was remembering. But it was distracting, reminding him of his own memories - of exactly how much Ronaldo could blush during sex, the way he looked after an orgasm, how good it had felt to bring the other man to the brink, sharing the feeling through their bond, every touch amplifying the pleasure two-fold, merging their consciousness, their perspective. It had been the best sex he had ever had, the mating making it an experience of its own.

Everyone had said he would understand when he took the step to share his life with someone: why mates never strayed, never had the urge, instincts locked on only one person. Now he knew exactly how it felt: addicting and, in their case, confusing. It was like there were two different voices at war inside him. One said Ronaldo couldn't be his mate, he was an alpha, like him. Mates were to be protected, valued, and Ronaldo couldn't fit in the image of what he had expected from a mate: someone from Argentina, a beautiful woman or man who would be dedicated to their house, turning it in a home, a place to escape his public life, a haven to share with his chosen partner. The other wanted to scent his mate and be scented, just so there wouldn't be any doubts about what had happened, mark the other man and be marked in equal measure, so no one would even dare to think about approaching them. Ronaldo was his and he was Ronaldo's, and only the idea of someone trying to change that made his canines elongate, a growl growing in his throat.

"So... Do you have any idea how or why we are mated? No offence meant but I expected to mate and marry some omega or beta, not another alpha" Ronaldo said, running his fingers through his curly hair, as if trying to tame it.

"That would make two of us, considering I never expected it either. I woke up maybe ten minutes ago, so I'm not in any way more knowledgeable than you in this case. As it is, I don't even know where we are.'' Leo replied, frustrated with the situation. He could feel through the bond, how... hesitant and confused Ronaldo was, his emotions twisted together. What he could glimpse from his new mate was anything but simple, a ball of different threads and composition: the overall tone was neutral (confusion, hesitation, the same possessiveness he felt), but there was wariness, worry, anxiety and frustration tangled into it too, ever-changing which was on surface the most. He figured it would be similar to being thrown into a maelstrom of strong feelings, all of them competing. He could easily understand why the Madrid player was so emotional if this was common for him.

"I think... I think we are in one of the Rut or Heat rooms in Bernabeu, I remember the layout from the tour when I first arrived. I never needed to use one of them before, but it would make sense for them to bring us here, as the team would need to clean and use the locker room, and we would need to be isolated from everyone else. We should shower and change. There should be clean clothes in different sizes and our things will be in one of the drawers, probably in the corner farthest from the bed, so they wouldn't get lost or destroyed while we... mated." Cristiano avoided Lionel's gaze, a small blush colouring his cheeks.

It was in truth a relief to know Ronaldo wasn't dealing that much better with the idea of them having sex, same as he did. Sighing, he agreed with the other man.

"Which of us should take a shower first? We should probably try and find how long it has been, and what happened while we were... indisposed."

Suddenly, the torrent of emotions from his mate took a sharp nosedive, fear, anger, guilt, love, protectiveness and shame roiling together, to the point he felt as if he had been punched. He gritted his teeth, trying to control his reaction wondering what had caused it, barely being able to hear Cristiano's words:

"You can go first, I need to, I need to check my phone and see if I have news from my son". Oh... That's more than understandable, though Ronaldo shouldn't blame himself for this. It wasn't like he had planned to get mated after a game. Without giving it too much thought, he went to the other side of the bed, nudging his mate until he could carefully massage his shoulders and feeling the tension disappearing under his hands. From so close, he could see (and avoid) the mark he had left in the Portuguese's neck: big and with jagged edges, it was nothing like the dainty impressions left by omegas, too brutal and aggressive. He wondered if his own was as bad as Ronaldo's, and wished he could have at least made it neater.

"Stop it. It's not like either of us knew the game would end like this. You don't have to feel guilt for things that no one could have predicted." His voice had a purring undercurrent, something he had never done before to anyone that wasn't his family - it was strange to realise that by all intents and purposes, Ronaldo was now part of his familial pack, as he was of Ronaldo's if their mating worked the same as common ones.

"I have never before left Júnior for more than one night without talking with him, by calling or using Skype so he knew I hadn't forgotten him, that I was coming back. And if our Rut lasted the normal three days, then he has heard nothing from me. God, he must be terrified. Or feel like I abandoned him. Fuck!" He had thought his mate's emotions were overwhelming before, now they were _worse_. He could feel the guilt, shame and fear overriding everything else in the bond, leaving him gasping for a second before he recovered enough and brought Cristiano close to his body again, hugging his torso and nosing the bite on his neck, scenting and purring, trying to calm him down and comfort him as much as he could, show him he wasn't alone, as he felt the way the Portuguese was trembling, a wave of sadness crashing on him.

"Shhh... I understand why you are upset, but it's not going to help you or him if you are this anxious. There is someone taking care of him, right? Your mother, if I'm remembering the news right. Do you think you could call her, say you are awake and then go from there? She can give you an update on how he is doing, maybe record a video for him? I mean, I don't think you can appear before him like that, he is too young to understand what happened, but after a shower, you could, right?. Do you want to go first and then you call your mother? That may work better." Lionel babbled, trying to find a solution. While he would like to shower and wash away the stickiness from his body, it wouldn't kill him to wait, and it was no great sacrifice, especially when he could feel how much his son meant to Cristiano, and how frantic he was to see him again. He had never stopped to think about Ronaldo's parenting skills, besides arching an eyebrow at the exaggerated headlines, but he also had his doubts, about how Ronaldo would be able to conciliate his schedule with caring for a Pup, especially as he was also a model. Apparently, though, he balanced it well enough to never be too far from his son.

He felt Ronaldo turn in his arms, legs straddling his thighs, head turned to his neck, to his mark, scenting him back, bringing with it a relaxation of his muscles, and contentment as a whispered "thank you" went to his ears, even as the maelstrom settled into a deep worry and sadness. The Portuguese probably wouldn't feel happy until he could see or talk to his son, assure himself he was well, and Lionel couldn't blame him.

The other man silently padded to the shelf opposite to the bed, taking a towel and clothes to the bathroom, moving out of his sight. Which was great for his sanity, considering he was torn between being very pleased by all the bruises and marks he had left on that tanned skin and the urge to hide his head in his arms, because this was an alpha like him - he shouldn't be ogling Ronaldo... And then he was hit all over again with the realization that this was his mate, and he was not only permitted to look, but the mating encouraged him to, all his instincts said he should watch and admire his mate, show his appreciation. It was very confusing. And fucked up.

He dragged himself away from that conundrum, preferring instead to take clean sheets from the shelf and change the bed - the mattress was probably beyond saving, but by rolling and curling the bedding in itself, the musk from sex was less cloying, making it easier to think while he waited for his turn - it wasn't going to take long, not with how anxious Ronaldo was to contact his family.

Their belongings weren't on the metal shelves, so he checked the bolted down drawer, where he found his cellphone and wallet, brought from his locker, probably when they were transported to this room. He also took Ronaldo's cellphone, putting it at one eye-level shelf, more at hand. While he was doing that, the sounds from the shower stopped, and the door opened.

Ronaldo was wearing the plain sweatshirt/sweatpants combo common to Heat/Rut rooms, leaving his mark visible on his neck, impossible to miss and causing a ball of warmth in his belly. With a groan, he pointed to the shelf where he had left the cellphones and took clothes in his size, so he could take his turn, even as he could feel from the other side of the mating a curl of arousal, followed by shock and an even bigger dose of shame as he walked by his mate. At least, he wasn't the only one with instincts going rogue, but that wasn't that great of a consolation, considering their situation.

On the other hand, as he turned on the hot water and washed, he could feel the worry ebb away as Ronaldo spoke with his family, substituted with happiness, love and care - probably talking with his son then. Their connection felt better like that, the negative feelings were less pronounced, lighter. Even though it was a second-hand emotion, the joy from Ronaldo hit him similarly, and he pressed his lips to not smile like a fool alone. This... was going to take a while to get used to for both of them, remembering how Ronaldo had reacted instantly when he had woken up - probably sensing his distress through the mating.

How would that translate when they played against each other? Could they even play in different teams? There were cases of players who mated with others from different teams, but right now he couldn't even imagine how such a thing was possible, considering how strong their connection seemed to be.

With a sigh, he turned off the water, dried himself and put the clothes on. As soon as Ronaldo saw him, he could feel the... tenderness? Care? It provoked in the other alpha, and the accompanying confusion. He sat down on the bed, watching how his mate finished speaking with whoever was on the other side, the use of Portuguese not allowing him to understand what was being spoken, though the way Ronaldo's emotion seemed to have settled down between anxiety and relief, he doubted they were completely negative.

"So, how is your son?" He would have liked to know more about the situation outside the Rut room, but this is the most important thing.

"He's well, thankfully. My mother explained as much as she could about how I wouldn't be able to talk with him, and while he was sad and worried, it was reasonably easy to calm him down through the phone." The wave of affection and love through the bond washed over him all at once, and Lionel took deep breaths before shaking it off - it was still strange and alien how he could feel the other man's emotions, and how strong they were.

"That is good. Has she said anything about our situation? And if she knows where my family is? I believe they would be called to Madrid, considering my father is also my agent". He couldn't help asking his questions, wanting more information about what happened while they were locked in their Rut, even as his hand went automatically to his phone, to check if there were messages left for him - for when he woke up.

"Yes, your brother and father are here, my mother is coming with Júnior and Mendes is in the city, so we can decide together what to do about... our mating. We have been here for a little more than three days and some hours, probably because we had to be tranquillized twice, according to what the bond specialists have told her. We should probably call through the intercom and tell whoever is responsible for access to the Rut/Heat rooms that we are awake, so they can unlock the door. And get something to eat - the number of fruits and crackers left in these rooms are for one person, so we will be hungry soon." Ronaldo said, hand going through his hair.

Lionel didn't say anything, only nodding in agreement. There wasn't anything in his phone that gave him more insight, only his family telling him they knew that he was mated - and that everything would be 'discussed' soon, the wording filling him with worry - what would happen with him? What would Barça do? He forced himself to relax his muscles, closing his eyes - the tension wasn't going to do anything but leave him even more sore than the fingerprints and bruises on his hips and thighs already did.

The warm hand cupping his nape surprised him, thumb delicately skirting the mark on his neck before he was turned so they would be in front of each other.

"Hey, everything is going to be fine. We are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the two best football players in the world. No one is going to get rid of us just because of an unfortunate and unplanned mating. And even if they do... It's not going to change reality. We will still be the best in our sport, and that is something people will just have to accept." The Portuguese's face was etched with the same ferocious scowl he used in the 'el Clasico' matches, and though he could feel the other man's anxiety, even more noticeable was the resolve in his eyes, the sheer belief that he was right, and if necessary, he would turn that belief into truth. It reassured him, enough so he nodded, getting up and gathering his belongings. 

There were many things they would have to do today and in the following days, not the least would be talking about the state of their previously non-existing relationship, but worrying or staying rooted in this room wouldn't help with anything, would only delay the inevitable and probably make things harder, for them, their families and clubs.

"You are right. Let's go see where we should start." Taking a deep breath, he stood up, nodding to Ronaldo, ready to deal with what they would have to decide and do about their careers and personal life. He received a small acknowledgement, before the Madridista took the intercom, identifying himself and saying they were both out of their Ruts.

A few minutes later, and the click of the door could be heard, finally unlocked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another exposure heavy chapter... I ended up stopping it because I thought it was getting too big.

This was not a good day for him. Waking up mated after a defeat would have never figured even in his wildest nightmares, especially after his transfer to Madrid, when he became much more circumspect about what he did and said, as the newspapers were always keen to sell more at the expense of his reputation. Being mated to Lionel Messi was just the cherry on top of an even more ludicrous state of affairs. At least his nose wasn't burning with the sweet-sour scent of Messi - whatever had caused them to mate had either changed Messi's aroma or his nose, considering that it was much more palatable now, and he had to fight against the need to nuzzle the smaller man’s neck, wanting to inhale it directly from the source.

He chanced a look at the man as they walked. Small, pale skin, same hair, same eyes, and yet his perspective was completely changed. Before, Messi was just another opponent alpha player, just one more person to avoid outside the pitch, events and parties where the two of them were invited - contrary to what the news made it seem like, there was no particular animosity between the two of them, only the natural repulsion of alphas from different packs. Now, a part of him wanted to snake an arm around Messi's waist, bring him closer and easier to protect if necessary. But... He doubted Messi would react well to his protective urges. The same way he would have been angry if someone had tried to consider him 'fragile' or incapable of taking care of himself. 

He didn't want to offend the Argentinian. Especially not now, when they would have to work, maybe live together, depending on how their mating worked. There was a reason few players mated each other, even with omegas being allowed to play. It would be hell if they had to spend a certain amount of time together because of it. Madrid or Barcelona? There was nothing he, no, **they** could decide for now, without knowing more. 

Shaking his head, he focused instead on the bond, on what he could feel from it - the emotions from Messi. It was... very different. They were subdued, as if there was a film of calmness over them, even as worry, anxiety or confusion sometimes bubbled over, before calming down again. 

At least, they were now near the reunion room, where the club employee had directed him to go. Where their families (and agents) were waiting. His imagination was running as many different scenarios as possible, none good. The only thing he was certain right now, was that he wasn't alone, as he felt the other side of the bond pull, distracting from his thoughts. He took a deep breath and looked at Messi, brown eyes bore into his, their emotions swirling, trepidation and anxiety the most easily identifiable. He wished he could have worn something of his own instead of the sweats he was in, cover himself in armour and indifference, but... There was nothing for it.

Opening the reunion room, he could see his brother-in-law, Mendes and others were seated in a table, with two chairs left for him and Messi, making it more real. He nodded to the Real Madrid representative, before sitting down in one of the empty seats, Messi going with him.

Cristiano greeted José and Mendes with a strained smile, while Messi's low "Viejo" from beside him attracts his attention to the other side - to the two men at the right, closer to his mate. His father, and perhaps one of his brothers. His new in-laws. God. Thinking like that was strange. Putting it away as something to think (or freak out) about later, he focused on the people that he couldn't recognise. Two men and a woman. One of the men had a Barcelona shield in his shirt, so the representative of Messi's team. His gaze landed on the pair at the far end, the way they were looking over notes and something in a laptop. Probably bond doctors. He couldn't think of anyone else that would be invited to such a meeting, especially as it seemed to be a 'needed personnel only', considering Iker and Puyol's absence.

"As we're all here, I believe we should start. As Mr Messi and Mr Ronaldo, were... indisposed, I would ask for our specialists to introduce themselves," The Madrid representative said, words running smoothly before his brief pause. Cristiano wondered what the man was thinking, considering his use of 'indisposed', as if he or Messi had only caught a stomach bug, and not mated with each other, the words skirting around the topic. From the bond, he could feel the annoyance from Messi, the way a tendril of anger, red-hot drifted closer to the surface.

"Mated. The word you were looking for is that one. And yes, both of us have obviously missed what is going on outside our Rut room, as we were locked there for three days, so it would be good to have someone more knowledgeable about the circumstances of how exactly we ended up like this." Messi's voice had been blunt, direct and very different from his fame as a generally reserved person. Especially as his emotions calmed down again, sluggishly settling down. None of the Messi were surprised by the outburst, but the same couldn't be said by Real's representative (or Barcelona's for that matter), who stammered for a second, before being cut by Mendes's question:

"And you are sure it is a mating." with eyes focused on Cristiano, expression expectant, his agent waited for confirmation, preferring to cut to the chase.

"Unless there is another explanation for us being able to have Ruts together, bond and develop a... emotional link, and either change our scents or our noses, yes. I do believe we are mated." He spoke first to Mendes, answering him, nodding to Messi after, confirming his words. 

"Emotional link? How intense would you say it is? And what do you mean 'change' your noses?" The question came from the only woman in the room, and she seemed to realize after a few moments that they didn't know who she was. "I apologize for my abruptness. My name is Fernanda Castro, and I specialize in rare bonds, including the few alpha-alpha matings we have evidence of, and the main reason I have been hired." she scribbled something down in her notebook before looking at them again: "The link is consistent with our idea of this being a peace-mating, as it will make it easier for both of you to relate to each other, cutting down the normal resistance you might have for the situation. There is nothing I can say about the change in scent, as I had never met either of you before today, though I can identify they are mixed." She turned to Messi's father and José, indicating both players. "What differences are there for you regarding them?"

"Not much, it's still the same, just now with an... undertone of blood beyond the burnt sugar. Not exactly the most complimentary blend." Jorge Messi said, rubbing his nose.

"Same, but reversed, Cris now has a sweet-sour base over his own of ashes, but no, it didn't change much, nor did it become unrecognizable. Why did you say it changed something?." José asked

"Because for me, Messi doesn't smell like that anymore, more like fresh rain. And I'm guessing it's the same for him." Cristiano replied, nodding to Lionel at his right.

"Yes. You are more like the ocean spray, with accents of wood. Much, much better than old blood or ashes, but if our scents didn't shift, then what exactly happened?" The Barça played ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up in peaks. Cristiano clenched his hands together. He had the ridiculous wish to neaten it, feel for himself if it was as soft as it seemed. He diverted his attention back to Dr Castro, as she started talking.

"We think that your mating was a reaction to the tension between both teams, considering the frequency of your games and how the omegas from both clubs were affected - normally, it would be a peace-mating with an omega and an alpha. The stress and tension making Omegas from both teams going into heat close to el Classico games corroborate that. As there was no mating because every time the Omegas were isolated, it instead affected you. We still do not know why two alphas instead of an alpha and a beta, though." Dr Castro paused, before continuing: "The fact your perception of each other's aroma diverged from the normal is also another sign of that. While vision is the main sense for humans, the ability to smell is also important, even more so when we speak of relationships, as it is one of the ways people look for boyfriends/girlfriends and later, mates. I doubt you would be able to effectively be mated if you were repulsed, so it is most likely that this is an adaptation brought by the bond. Which is consistent with our research about stress bonds - some of those can have a direct effect on the cerebral chemistry and affect the way smell is received by the olfactory receptors, causing parosmia."

"It isn't a small change - it's not the same as having an illness or someone being pregnant - those are subtle, this was full-on complete 180º degrees turn from completely disagreeable to pleasant. And does it affect how we perceive everyone, or is it directed?" Cristiano pinched his nose, wondering about his family and friends and what it would mean for his relationship with them.

"Generally speaking, in stress bonds, the effect is directed, so you will, most likely, have no trouble recognizing others. We will have to check later, along with general check-ups, as a precaution, but I don't anticipate any major issue going forward, especially after the first weeks of your mating - then the bond should stabilize." She replied, before asking: "I know we got caught up with the issue of scents, but you said you had an emotional link - how intense is it? Can you feel emotions only rarely or is it a constant thing? Consider this a preliminary profile of your bond - something we will need to do more in-depth later." Her voice was eager, and she already had her laptop ready to start taking notes.

"We have woken up, what? An hour ago? There's not exactly a lot of information to go on." Messi hedged, hands tugging on the sleeves of his shirt, his feelings flashing into wariness for a scant second. 

For the first time, the man beside Dr Castro introduced himself:

"Hello, my name is Guilherme Santiago, and I am the other bond specialist hired by Real Madrid. My specialty is rare pairings, such as alpha-alpha, and that is the main reason I was hired. I believe it would be better to explain a bit about why we need to know some more about your bond and its characteristics. Essentially, as a peace-mating, you will have more side-effects than a normal bond, and perhaps some we have never seen because we don't have recent and reliable information on alpha-alpha matings, so we will have to ask questions. Unfortunately, some of them will be invasive, because we need to try and understand how it is affecting both of you and to what a degree, and what can be done to mitigate possible negative effects of it." Dr Santiago said, tone conciliatory.

"What do you mean by possible negative effects? How would a mating even have negative effects?" The words spilt from him carelessly, but... What more would they have to go through? They were barely outside that damned Rut room and already he wished he could hide somewhere, alone. Perhaps naively, he had thought the reunion would be about the possible business impacts, their strategy in dealing with the media and whether the clubs would support them, not a health inspection.

Dr Castro took over the explanation: "Peace matings are notorious for being more intense and generally speaking, harder to go through than natural matings. It is believed that, because the mating is inherently linking two people that previously did not have any inclination to be together, the bond manifests as stronger and harder to damage or circumvent. Some of the side effects that have been noted in medical research were separation anxiety, codependency and emotional instability, with great mood swings depending on the time spent apart and the level of intimacy achieved by the couple", she gentled her voice as she noted the rise of their scents in the closed room, and the paling of theri faces, but kept talking: "As we have previously told the club representatives and your agents, it would be best for you to take at least two weeks off minimum, as is the protocol for peace matings. If possible, it would be preferable for both of you to have more time, as we don't know the extent of the consequences, and if the basic hypothesis that peace matings are inherently stronger, then it is only rational to believe alpha-alpha peace matings will have even more side-effects than a normal one. Like this." She indicated the way they were seated. Cristiano was surprised when he noticed that both him and Messi were almost touching, chairs dragged closer together to the point he could feel the body heat from the alpha at his side (it was comforting). 

Instantly, he and Messi dragged their chairs farther apart, adding space between them now that they were aware of it. He could feel his confusion mixing with Messi's embarrassment, as neither of them had consciously leaned into each other. There was an awkward moment of silence, even worse than when they had entered the reunion. 

Jorge Mendes watched the players rather than the people around the table - he had noticed the expert usage of words and wondered if Cristiano understood - or if he had been too caught up in the example given.

"From what you said then, they will need to spend more time together and be... more intimate? What exactly does that mean? Touching, kissing, sex?" He had anticipated Cristiano's groan, but the way Messi almost choked on air was worrying, even more so as he lost control of his scent, burning everyone's nose with his anger. He hadn't been crass, and both players would need to get used to even more insulting questions. While the common media would stay in the edges of acceptable, the rags that made money from following celebrities would try and milk their mating for all it was worth - and if they could get either alpha to react, even better for their 'journalism'.

Dr Santiago cleared his throat, eyes darting from Mendes and then to the pair, settling on them. "As a rule, intimacy doesn't need to be sex - though it is the most common way it is manifested between mates, intimacy can mean hugging, small rituals shared between two people, small touches... So long as there is an emotional component - normally associated with a physical one, you will have intimacy. As a rule, sharing space, letting the bond run its course and being minimally genial with each other will help the bond stabilize, so all you would need to do is stay in the same place and get along as well as you can. In this stage, most mates feel the need for touch, and the few research papers we have found specifically about peace-mating pairs mentioned trouble sleeping if the couple is not in contact. Beyond that... I suggest introductions to families and close friends, as a way to ease you into accepting the situation - and preparing them for it too".

Cristiano sighed, the reality of it crashing through him, along with a sharp roiling dread from the bond, the emotion freezing his breath inside his lungs, wondering what exactly caused it, even as it became a mild-anxiety: a want to move and escape. That coupled with his exhaustion, and he could feel a headache starting, stretching to his forehead like a band around it. 

"Noted. Could we move along? I doubt either of us is well enough right now to do a battery of tests or a profile as you said. I would prefer to focus on what our media strategy should be, plus what is known outside the club, hopefully, fast enough that my mother will not need to wait too long before I can see her and my son." He modulated his voice into a neutral tone, fingers drumming on the top of the table as he wondered how much longer this could go on. The stray thought led him to a new question, and one he asked directly to Messi:

"What will your reaction be to Júnior, considering... everything? Do I need to tell my mother to not bring him close to you, or is it going to be a non-issue?" Cristiano had to control himself - the very idea of letting Messi be close to his Pup made him want to growl - mate or not.

"I would never hurt a child." Messi's voice was tinged with a growl, and their connection let him known the Barcelona player was offended by the very idea. Good. He would have kept Júnior and Messi separated if that was necessary, but he would have never been able to trust the other man. Then, a swell of sadness weighed him down.

Messi cleared his throat before speaking: "I had planned for a big family - because I like children and had always planned to settle down and have at least a couple. So I would want, if you permit me, to claim Júnior as my own." He stumbled over his words, his hands fiddling with the long sleeves and fisting them into paws. He doubted this had been thought over carefully (like everything else related to their mating). Cristiano was stunned, then angry. His son was not a thing, to be claimed over frivolous reasons, and perhaps later abandoned.

"NO. No claiming." Even as he growls his answer, his fangs elongate. Disappointment crashes into him, and longing, giving him pause, as it feels sincere. Messi's brother and father seem ready to argue on their kin's behalf. He breathes out and explains: "Claiming confuses children, as they don't understand why there is a sudden bond with someone they don't know, and in a few occasions have been reported to be harmful to them, especially when they are younger, and if there is no previously established relationship." Cristiano is amused to see all the Messi men have a similar expression, torn between confusion and understanding. "I am not against you spending time with my son, so long as it is supervised by me, and I will not interfere if you want to build a rapport with him, to seek a claiming at a later date, when he is older and can grasp its meaning, being able to accept or decline it." And it would mean Messi would have to put in the work to be present in Cristianinho's life - hopefully, it would mean if Messi was serious about trying, his son would have another adult looking out for him. If he wasn't, or if he was flighty with his interest, forgetting after a few weeks or months that any bond needed to be nurtured... It would be less traumatic than a claim, and easier for Júnior to recover from. 

"That is more than agreeable to me. Thank you." Messi's low voice was laced with sweet-relief, the surge of acceptance and tenderness from his mate. So... this was important for him, then. He hoped Messi meant it, that he would treat Júnior with the care he deserved. (Mate or not, he might kill the other man if he developed a relationship then abandoned his Pup).

The table took a breath, the tension dissipating. Health concerns postponed, an accord reached about Júnior, and Messi's possible role (if he could step up to it). Now, the only major worry left was the media, what they would say, what was known, and what the clubs wanted them to tell the journalists who were probably mobbing the teams and everyone remotely related to this incident.

Before they could move on though, a rumbling distracted them. Both Cristiano and Lionel blushed, their stomachs growling, reminding the other occupants of the table that they were fresh out of a Rut, and needed better food than the usual crackers and water that were the common fare in those conditions.

"I believe it would be beneficial for us to pause before we continue. Any objections?" Jorge Messi easily took over, dark eyes running through the gathered group, and glaring pointedly when both the Barcelona and Real Madrid's representatives looked like they would protest.

"None. We can order food and eat here, that should cut the time we will need." Mendes agreed to the plan.

And so it was done.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter owes a lot of its existence to Ayumi - her comments made me think about what was going on, and spontaneously this chapter took form. It should have been posted two weeks ago, when it was mostly complete, but I started having wrist pains....  
> I may take longer to update from now on, to make sure I don't re-injure my wrists >.<

Lionel observed, amused, as Ronaldo's agent and his own father teamed up to chase away specialists and club representatives after the impromptu lunch was over, pointed looks and privacy remarks working to leave them alone in the room. He had no idea who the other man with Mendes was, but considering the way he could feel the Portuguese's relief, the man was trusted.

"Before we say anything else, I must ask: do either of you need medical attention right now? I know you would prefer for the health checks to be done on another day, but we need to know if there is any injury you have hidden that would need treatment." Lionel blinked. He hadn't expected that, and neither had Ronaldo, though it had been a concerted effort, considering the way his father nodded in Mendes' direction.

"Why would we need medical attention? Yes, we mated, but it wasn't as if we fought each other. I have some bruising and bites, but nothing is serious enough for a doctor." Lionel asked, confused, his emotion mirrored by the bond. Rodrigo's reaction didn't help the situation, his brother going red.

"Which doesn't exactly help us, considering you could be dying and would still say you were fine. I wouldn't be surprised if Ronaldo is the same, as both of you are football obsessed, and too competitive to want to show any weakness." Rodrigo said, scent worried and embarrassed. He doesn't understand what is his brother's problem, and what medical treatment has to do with it, but Ronaldo is mortified. Lionel had to blink and shake his head so it didn't affect him. 

When he looks at the madridista, his cheeks are pink under his tan, and Lionel takes a gulp of water, hoping the other's embarrassment will not affect him, otherwise he will be an ugly tomato-red in seconds. 

Ronaldo's blush only enhances his cheekbones. He wants to touch, feel the way the skin would be warmer, brush the uncharacteristic stubble the Portuguese has with his own, nuzzle into his jaw before nosing the mark again, leaving his scent there... Lionel snapped back to reality when the man he doesn't know speaks: 

"I realize I haven't introduced myself, I'm José Pereira, Cristiano's brother-in-law. As for what Mendes is asking..." Pereira paused, clearing his throat: "It is whether you need assistance with any kind of internal injuries knotting may cause to someone who is not an omega, and wasn't prepared to take a knot." 

Ronaldo had to pound his back, as the water he had drunk went the wrong way. No wonder his brother's face went aflame and Ronaldo blushed... He could feel himself get just as flustered, mouth gaping, not knowing what to say.

"The only reason I am going to answer you is because I understand your question is made out of worry and a professional need to know in case either of us were injured." Ronaldo stared at Mendes, gaze focusing on José, Rodrigo and touching last upon his father. His words were growled, and the scent rising from anger, staying in the closed room. He could feel his own fangs starting to lengthen, fury coursing through them at the invasion of privacy. 

"But no, neither of us has internal wounds, as we didn't fuck each other." Rodrigo choked on air, while José’s eyes widened at the bluntness. Ronaldo derived pleasure from their reactions, vindictiveness mixing in the bond, though both father and Mendes stayed stone-faced. "Some of the bites in our bodies should be inspected, to make sure there is no infection. We will need instructions on how to treat our marks, considering their size and location, but these can be done at home and are not urgent."

"Good, I will make a call, so that when you go home, there should be a trusted doctor to treat them. I am sorry to say, but you should prepare yourselves for more probing questions if we come clean about your mating." Mendes said, voice even. "If you would prefer to hide, it would be complicated. We would need to find two omegas and insinuate you have mated..." 

For the second time, both of the alphas growled. Jealousy and possessiveness travelling through both, mixing and twining. Neither could or would accept it. Lionel started regulating his breathing. Cristiano was counting backwards from ten. When Lionel opened his eyes, he looked at Mendes.

"I doubt we can hide it. Not while we are like this." He waved his hand, indicating both of them. "As it is, I don't think we can rationally discuss it either." 

Ronaldo at his side choked on a bitter laugh, hands holding his head, eyes focusing on Lionel. "Just the idea of someone getting close to you and I want to rip their heads off. And from the bond, you are no better. It would do us no good to be sued because we threatened or hurt someone in a fit of bond induced jealousy."

His father sighed: "Dr Castro had warned us that it would be difficult, perhaps impossible, but we still needed to try. What we can do then is damage-control. Get ahead of any media, explain what and how it happened, cutting off possible theories and gossip. Rags and tabloids will still make-up their own versions, but with less time to create some story and scientific evidence, hopefully there will be less issues about it. Do you agree?" Father asked them.

“I don’t think we have any other choice,” Lionel said, even as he sensed the wariness from Ronaldo, wondering what was wrong.

“Yes, I also believe this is the best we can do for now.” Ronaldo took a deep breath: “I know it will be a topic of speculation, but I would prefer if we leave my son out of it as long as possible.” 

“You are right that most likely it will come up, but we can at least stonewall any questioning right now by saying you are still adjusting to each other. Which is the truth.” Rodrigo pointed out, stretching his arms.

“Thank you. We also should set rules for when you meet Júnior, as my mom is probably already here with him." Ronaldo’s anticipation was strong. The love and joy taking Lionel's breath away. Rodrigo’s offended scent easily brought him back to the present.

José snorted, before talking directly to Lionel: "It's a list of things to avoid so you don't accidentally trigger Cristiano's overprotective instincts, like we did when Júnior first arrived home."

"I don't have overprotective instincts, they are perfectly normal!" Ronaldo pouted at his brother-in-law, crossing his arms, but the bond let Lionel know he was amused, with a tinge of what he thought would be embarrassment, making his own lips twitch. He expected Pereira to answer, but it was Mendes who scoffed and explained.

"Most people have a... rough time when they first meet Júnior, because Cristiano is grossly overprotective over the Pup." Ronaldo was indignant now, and his playful pout had morphed into a frown, ready to contest Mendes. 

"And before you say anything, Cris, need I remind you of how you kicked your own mother out of the hospital room? Or the way you didn't let anyone get close to Cristianinho when you brought him home, doing everything yourself until you had burned out? Ramos had to visit everyday for a month before you let him hold Júnior. He's the Pup's Godfather! And that's without mentioning what you did to Casillas." the agent counted incidents on his fingers amid chuckles from everyone else. 

Even his father was amused, and Rodrigo was avoiding looking at Ronaldo, mirth obvious in his scent.

The atmosphere was much lighter. Lionel was tempted to ask about Iker, considering the wave of self-consciousness when Mendes spoke, but decided against it. There was no anger from the bond - Ronaldo was capable of taking a joke.

"So... what should we be aware of? Besides that he is overprotective." Lionel couldn't help the slight tease.

"Let us be fair, I was a first-time worried single-parent when Júnior was born. So contrary to the ancient tales Mendes is citing, I'm reasonable...." Ronaldo didn't get to finish, Pereira cutting him.

"Almost four years ago is not ancient, Cris. Though I do have to agree you are much better now." Pereira said, before turning to the three Messi: 

"So, you should leave some space between you and Júnior when you first meet, mostly because the Pup is really shy, and if he feels threatened Cristiano gets aggressive. Typical Alpha posturing, so long as you don’t get too close, it’s not a problem. Lionel probably has some advantage, as his scent is mixed with Cristiano's. It's best if you don't try to touch Júnior, let him choose when and don’t be discouraged if it takes a while. For today, that’s pretty much it. I doubt Cristianinho will let go of his father long enough for anything else to be relevant."

“Those are standard rules for when dealing with alpha parents. From what you said, I expected a lot more restrictions.” Lionel remarked, annoyed for his mate, considering how much of a production both Mendes and Pereira had made.

“For now, that's it. When Júnior is more familiar with you, it will change a little, but we can leave that for when it’s necessary.” Pereira said.

"And with that, we should bring back the representatives and specialists - we will need to tell them that you decided to announce the mating, and plan for the reaction we will get, and how it will be done. Anything else we need to discuss before they enter the room?" Jorge Messi asked, eyes going from one player to the other.

"No, I think we have covered all the things we needed the privacy to discuss. Now, we would only make things harder if we kept going without them." Ronaldo said, and Lionel had to agree, though he missed the easy mood from before - father was back in his agent role, and Mendes, who had unbent enough to tease Ronaldo, was inscrutable again. There was still business to be done, and an announcement to be written and published.

Just a little more and they would be able to get out of there, finally. To go home... And then he remembered the doctor's recommendation - how they would need to take some time off and should spend it together.

"Actually, I just remembered something else. Where are we going to stay during the two weeks off we have? Barcelona or Madrid?" His heart thumped painfully. He would rather not spend more time than necessary in Madrid. However, it was where Ronaldo had his home, where his son was raised and used to. It would be understandable if his mate wanted to spend it here, instead of dragging a young child to a new city, disrupting his routine. The emotions from the bond didn't help in this case, as all he could get was surprise.

"Considering we are already here, perhaps spend the first week here then the last in Barcelona? Hopefully by then Júnior will get used to you, so it will go smoothly. If not... I might ask for us to stay, but there's no need to set anything in stone now. Would that be acceptable?" Ronaldo said.

"Better than I expected, yes. What would our house in Barcelona need to receive Júnior? There are enough rooms we could just convert one for him. Would we need a crib or a bed?" He thought of which rooms were suitable - something close to Ronaldo's room (and his own), big enough Cristianinho could grow with it. Unexpectedly, he felt warmth from the bond, like being hugged.

Ronaldo cleared his throat, voice raspy: "Júnior sleeps in a bed. We can pack some of his toys when we go to Barcelona. Maybe bring his clothes to the room before we arrive? So it has some of his scent and is not so strange to him."

"Good idea. Er, do you think it is best if we buy a bed now, or wait until you have more or less explained we are going to Barcelona and have him choose it? Do you think if he chooses his bed that could help him get used to the new house?" Lionel asked his mate, noting how the emotions were so positive - it felt like walking on air. He didn't understand what had made the other man so happy, but it was delightful to feel.

"Yes, I think it will. Júnior would love that. Thank you for offering." Ronaldo's soft voice, combined with his bright eyes and the crow's feet that marked his smile as sincere made his heart accelerate. Lionel had to look away from him, reminded far too suddenly of how beautiful his new mate was. 

Thankfully, Mendes seemed eager to move on. They had spent more than one hour deciding what they would do. Now was the time to know what the clubs would agree (or disagree) with.

Jorge Messi used the intercom, calling the representatives back.

**Author's Note:**

> [My tumblr](http://www.tumblr.com/blog/cressiprompts) if someone wants to prompt me for a small Cressi fic: 


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